The COVID-19 pandemic has ravaged the United States, killing well over one million Americans and tens of millions more globally. Unfortunately, one of the biggest barriers to keeping the pandemic in check has been adequate testing. But exciting research suggests that dogs may be the most accurate way to detect COVID-19 -- an amazing new strategy for keeping community transmission down and getting high-risk folks the care they need as quickly as possible!
Sign now to tell the U.S. Department of Health to invest money in researching and training COVID-sniffing dogs!
In this breakthrough study, researchers found that trained canines detected COVID-19 in a whopping 97% of symptomatic cases and nearly 100% of asymptomatic cases. These numbers are incredible, and beat the accuracy of even our most sophisticated COVID detection measures. In fact, trained canines have greater accuracy than either of the most popular testing methods available in the United States.
The news comes just in time, as the Omicron wave is wreaking havoc on communities across the country. Frankly, the United States is desperate for expanded COVID-19 protection measures, including more testing. And while President Biden's recent commitment to send free COVID-19 tests to households has been an important step forward, it is simply not enough. Rapid tests are less accurate than nasal PCR swabs, and access to PCR tests has become stagnant. For Americans who lack cars or internet access, getting to limited PCR appointments can be extremely difficult.
The U.S. must invest money in implementing a program for COVID-sniffing dogs, but it must be ethical and humane for the animals, too. Reward-driven training methods could produce thousands of COVID-sniffers, potentially dramatically reducing community spread and saving untold lives. Sign now to tell the U.S. Department of Health: protect more lives, invest in COVID-sniffing dog research and training!
